Administered by the Department of Political Science

Professor Rosanna Perotti, Chairperson

Legal Education Accelerated Program (LEAP) is a six-year combined B.A./J.D. degree program. Students admitted into this program pursue a bachelor of arts (B.A.) at Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for three years and then have the opportunity to complete a juris doctor (J.D.) at Hofstra Law School in three additional years. Admission to Hofstra Law School is not automatic; it is predicated on LEAP students maintaining a threshold GPA and LSAT score. The combined degree (B.A. /J.D.) takes a total of six years to complete, which is one year less than the typical law school graduate. The undergraduate portion of the program is administered by the Department of Political Science, under the supervision of the dean of Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Admission to this program is open only to freshmen and is highly selective. Applicants must have combined SAT scores of 1220 (or an ACT score of 27) and an overall GPA of 3.5 (or be in the top 15 percent of their high school graduating class) in order to be considered for admission. Applicants are required to submit the supplemental application which is then reviewed by a joint committee, made up of representatives from Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Hofstra University School of Law, and the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Matriculation in the Hofstra University School of Law takes place at the end of the junior year, and the B.A. degree is granted upon satisfactory completion of 29 semester hours during the first year of law school. To maintain eligibility for law school matriculation at the end of the junior year, students admitted to this program must:

1. complete a minimum of 95 semester hours in HCLAS (at least 94 of them in liberal arts courses);
2. fulfill all University requirements, and all requirements for the B.A., including WSC 001  and WSC 002 , all HCLAS distribution course requirements and language requirements, and all requirements for the specific academic major chosen by the student. Students may select from among 45 majors available through Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences which lead to the B.A. degree.
3. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in course work toward the B.A.
4. Achieve an LSAT score that is no lower than the median LSAT score for students entering the Hofstra University School of Law during the student’s junior year in Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
5. Apply to and be accepted by the Hofstra University School of Law. Application entails LEAP students submitting the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score, the Hofstra J.D. application including the personal statement, undergraduate transcripts and letters of recommendation, and complying with all applicable deadlines and requirements as stated on the Hofstra Law School Admissions website.